"You've actually seen it?" the scholar
whispered, although
there was no reason for him to do so. The common room of
the inn was very large, and it was very crowded this cold,
wintry night. Indeed, had he shouted, it was likely others
could not easily overhear his conversation.
Thirty or more villagers were drinking, gambling, eating,
wenching, or engaged in various combinations of these
activities, most of them near the large fire in the centre
of the room. The scholar and his companion, a woodsman,
had a table to themselves some distance from the crowd.
"It should not seem so unusual," the woodsman replied.
"I make my home in the forest."
"But such a thing -- is it real? How can it be?" The
young student betrayed a great urgency in his voice.
He had been waiting several days to speak to someone who
knew about this particular curiosity, and he had it in mind
all the while to be very calm, skeptical, and professional
when this moment arrived, but all his plans vanished in an
instant when the innkeeper directed this woodsman to his
table. Here was someone who had actually seen the Fox Fire!
The woodsman paused for a moment, staring into the bottom
of his drink as if he could read the future by doing so.
"What is your interest in the matter?"
"I am a student and I currently live in the capital. My
master is compiling a volume of folk legends and I have
journeyed to the countryside to gather tales."
"You are fortunate the innkeeper happened to remember
me. Had you asked any other of our fine citizens here
about this subject they would either have laughed at
you or regarded you as a meddlesome stranger who would
be better off where he came from."
"I specifically asked the innkeeper to speak to someone
who would be knowledgeable about the Fox Fire, since I
have no real information about the legend. But you not
only know about it but have seen it?"
The woodsman finished his drink in one gulp. "I wish
I could tell you I have not seen it. Look at these
people around you. They are a simple enough folk, and
they must seem very stupid and uncultured to one like
you who lives in the city. Yet they are happy with their
lives, keep to themselves, and help one another as needed.
But those like me who live deep in the forest are destined
to live close to nature in relative solitude. We see many
things one might rather not. At times it is as if we have
an uneasy truce with nature."
The student signaled to the innkeeper for another round
of drinks. "You certainly do not speak like an uneducated
man. Why do you live such a life?"
The woodsman smiled shyly, perhaps embarrassed by the
compliment. "My father saw that I received a little
education in a monastery when I was a child. It was his
hope that by the time I grew up he could afford to open
a shop in this village. It would have been an easy life
compared to our labour in the forest. But my mother became
very ill, and my father spent all his savings on medicines
for her. She eventually died anyway, and my father
died shortly after, of a broken heart, I think. But
do not think I dislike my life in the forest. As I said,
there may be queer or even frightening things seen there,
but it is a rewarding life as well. It is peaceful, quiet,
and supplies me with nearly all my needs. I must come
to the village from time to time for certain goods, but
I have grown accustomed to the woodland solitude and
prefer it. It is as natural to me as your city life is
to you."
As his companion spoke the scholar took notes with
his pen and ink. "But what about the Fox Fire...?"
The woodsman shrugged his shoulders. "There is a full
moon tonight. Anything I can tell you would be insignificant
when compared to the event itself. You may see it for
yourself if you wish."
The student's eyes fairly glowed. "Amazing!" He paused
for a moment and became wary. It would not be impossible
for his cordial companion to actually be a highwayman
planning to waylay him when far from aid.
"I haven't much money to offer you," he said
apologetically. "It is the lot of the student to be
ever a hair's breadth from the begging bowl..."
"I expect no payment. It will not take me far out
of my way. But what do you plan to do with the information?"
"I had intended to add it to my master's collection of
legends, but if I see that such a thing is no mere fairy
tale, I am sure he and others will want to see it as well."
The woodsman's manner became somewhat pensive. "Such
a thing would hardly be beneficial to the forest. There
are some things there that people should not concern
themselves with."
"As a scholar, I must disagree," the young man retorted.
"Any knowledge should be shared so the whole community may
benefit."
"Your community may benefit," the woodsman replied, "but
I do not think these villagers would agree that such
interference is beneficial. They have a hard life as it is
and wish to be left alone. A few coins in exchange
for being under the scrutiny of city folk and dealing
with the problems they would surely bring is hardly fair.
You know as well as I their status cannot be changed by
knowledge alone. Still, if we are to see the Fox Fire,
we should be off. It will take a little time to
arrive at our destination, and it is already dark.
It is best to see when the moon is high, so we must hurry."
"What should I take with me?"
"Only your winter travelling clothes and a lantern.
You may sleep at my home and return to the village
tomorrow. It is about five miles to the site, and
but one more from there to my dwelling."
The scholar quickly went to his room and donned his
winter garb. He borrowed a lantern from the innkeeper
and met the woodsman outside. A light snow began to
fall as they left the village, adding to the snow already
on the ground and covering their tracks behind them.
They left the road after the village was out of
sight and switched over to a narrow path. The path
soon ceased to exist after they entered the thick of
the woods. The scholar found he was hopelessly lost
and trusted to his guide to show him the way. His
lantern bobbed ahead of him like a wintry firefly.
The woodsman had been silent throughout the journey,
and the student felt himself grow more excited as
he realised they must be getting near their destination.
"Before we see it, what else can you tell me of the
Fox Fire?" he asked.
His companion was intent upon the way ahead, but
answered politely. "The fox is supposed to be able
to change shape. They often take the form of
humans, sometimes to cause mischief and sometimes to
test men. They gather on nights such as this, or,
some say, when it rains while the sun shines. There
are many stories about the shape changers living
among humans, as a reward for some service or for some
reason known only to the gods. The Fox Fire itself,
however, is caused by the magical radiance of their
bodies as they change shape. And such a gathering as
we are about to see is very rare indeed. I cannot
tell you why they do it, but the Fox Fire is often
associated with the disappearance of someone. Who
can say what motivates the woodland spirits? Their
ways are so different from those of men."
The woodsman abruptly turned to face the scholar.
"There is still time to turn back if you wish," he
said sternly. "We do not have to go on."
The young man shook his head. "I am not afraid,"
he said simply.
The woodsman paused again, as if giving the youth
another opportunity to reply, then turned and
continued walking. After a short time, he stopped
suddenly and motioned to the scholar to approach
carefully. They were at the top of a small rise
which looked down into a huge clearing. The full
moon was directly above them, and the snow in the glade
reflected the light all around, so the scene took on
the appearance of a forum, the tall trees standing
silently as if on guard.
"See," the woodsman whispered as he pointed to
the glade. "They are arriving already."
In the centre of the glade was a fox, but it
soon became evident it was not an ordinary animal
but indeed a fox spirit. Its body glowed with the
Fox Fire, a light even whiter than the pure snow
still falling lightly around them. And it had
many tails, nine that the scholar could count.
This must be the lord of the fox spirits, he thought.
He moved a little ahead of his companion to see better.
He crouched low and peered from behind a tree.
Other fox spirits emerged from the borders of the
glade and trotted to the centre of the clearing. Some
came alone, others in twos or threes, and there was
even a group of five. Some also had more than one tail,
though none as many as the first fox spirit. Fortunately,
none emerged near the place where the student and the woodsman
hid, and their hiding place remained undiscovered.
The collective glow of the Fox Fire became very bright.
It seemed that the fox spirits spent a great deal of time
frolicking and socialising with one another, as if the
gathering were simply a friendly meeting of creatures in
kind, but a low howl from the fox lord brought them to
silence. They gathered around him in a large circle,
and each howled or barked a greeting in turn. He spoke
to them, and after a time, they all sang as if in chorus.
"They have received the will of their lord," the
woodsman whispered.
"I guessed that," the scholar whispered back while
keeping his eyes on the gathering ahead. "It seems very
sad. I get the feeling they intend to do something they
already regret. If the Fox Fire portends what you say
it does, they must be preparing to lure some poor fellow
to his doom."
"Yes," the fox-woodsman said as he placed a furry paw
on the scholar's shoulder in sympathy, "I know. And I
am ever so sorry."
by Bret Ryan Rudnick
Copyright © 1994, All Rights Reserved
